U.S. patent application number 13/316551 was filed with the patent office on 2013-04-04 for active air flap apparatus for vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hyundai Motor Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Gil Sang Yoo. Invention is credited to Gil Sang Yoo.
Application Number | 20130081785 13/316551 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47878490 |
Filed Date | 2013-04-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130081785 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yoo; Gil Sang |
April 4, 2013 |
ACTIVE AIR FLAP APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE
Abstract
An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle is configured to
include an air flap 20, a thermoelectric device 40, a PCB 50, a
heat transfer bar 60, and a variable length member 70. By the
configuration, the air flap may be fixed by forcibly rotating the
air flap so as to open the duct at the time of failure while
reducing weight and cost, thereby preventing the vehicle from being
damaged.
Inventors: |
Yoo; Gil Sang; (Hwaseong-si,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Yoo; Gil Sang |
Hwaseong-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hyundai Motor Company
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
47878490 |
Appl. No.: |
13/316551 |
Filed: |
December 11, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/96 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02T 10/88 20130101;
B60K 11/085 20130101; F01P 2031/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/96 |
International
Class: |
F28F 27/00 20060101
F28F027/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 30, 2011 |
KR |
10-2011-0099609 |
Claims
1. An active air flap apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an air
flap rotatably mounted on a duct through a linkage and including a
loader coupled with the linkage; a thermoelectric device fixedly
mounted on a housing that is mounted on the duct; a heat transfer
bar mounted in the housing, wherein one end of the heat transfer
bar is connected to the thermoelectric device to transfer heat at
the time of operating the thermoelectric device; and a variable
length member connected to the loader and the other end portion of
the heat transfer bar and providing rotating force to the loader
while changing a length of the variable length member according to
a change in temperature of the heat transfer bar.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a PCB fixedly
mounted on the duct to control an operation of the thermoelectric
device.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing includes: an outer
housing fixedly mounted on the duct; and an inner housing fixedly
mounted inside an end of the outer housing, the inner housing being
mounted so as to fix the thermoelectric device and the one end of
the variable length member therein and slidably receiving the heat
transfer bar penetrating therethrough.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable length member is
a spring made of a shape memory alloy by which a length of thereof
is increased when temperature rises and a length thereof is
recovered to an original length when temperature falls.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outer housing is a heat
insulation housing minimizing heat exchange with the outside.
6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outer housing spaced apart
from an end of the heat transfer bar in a direction opposite to a
direction in which the inner housing is positioned is fixedly
mounted with a stumbling bar crossing an inner space of the outer
housing in a direction orthogonal to a vertical direction of the
outer housing, and one side of the outer housing is provided with a
guide hole through which one end of the loader penetrates, the
guide hole being extendedly formed along the vertical direction of
the outer housing.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the one end of the loader
connected to the variable length member moves in a direction in
which the length of the variable length member is increased to
cross over the stumbling bar, the loader is restrained by the
stumbling bar so that the loader does not move in a direction in
which the length of the variable length member is reduced unless
the loader is applied with external force.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent
Application No. 10-2011-0099609, filed on Sep. 30, 2011, the entire
contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this
reference..
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an active air flap
apparatus for a vehicle, and more particularly, to an active air
flap apparatus for a vehicle capable of forcibly opening the air
flap at the time of failure while reducing weight and cost.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Generally, an engine room in a vehicle is provided with
driving parts such as an engine, or the like, and various heat
exchangers such as a radiator, an inter cooler, an evaporator, a
condenser, or the like.
[0006] The above-mentioned heat exchangers mainly distribute a heat
exchange medium therein and heat-exchange the heat exchange medium
in the heat exchanger with air outside the heat exchanger to
perform cooling or heat radiation. The outside air needs to be
supplied smoothly into the engine room so that various heat
exchangers in the engine room for the vehicle are stably
operated.
[0007] However, when a vehicle is traveled at high speed, air
resistance is greatly increased according to the introduction of a
large amount of outside air at high speed, thereby reducing fuel
efficiency of a vehicle.
[0008] To solve the problems, the active air flap apparatus has
been developed to improve the fuel efficiency by making an open
angle large at the time of low-speed traveling so as to increase
the introduction of air into the engine room and an making the open
angle small at the time of high-speed traveling so as to reduce the
introduction of air thereinto.
[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the active air flap apparatus according
to the related art is configured to include a duct 1 fixedly
mounted on a front end module (not shown) of a vehicle, a plurality
of air flaps 3 rotatably coupled to the duct 1 through a linkage 2,
an actuator 4 controlling an operation of the air flap 3 according
to external conditions (engine temperature, cooling water
temperature, or the like), and a sealing member 5 maintaining
airtight between the front end module and the duct 1. In
particular, the actuator 4 is configured to include a PCB 4a, a
motor 4b, and a plurality of gear members 4c.
[0010] However, due to the actuator 4 including the motor 4b and
the plurality of gear members 4c as described above, there are
problems in that the active air flap apparatus according to the
related art is heavy and expensive.
[0011] In particular, when the motor 4b is not driven due to the
damage thereof, it is impossible to perform an operation of
forcibly opening the air flap 3. Therefore, when the air flap 3
maintains the closed state and the vehicle is continuously traveled
in the closed state, the engine temperature and the temperature of
the heat exchangers are increased, thereby causing serious damages
to the vehicle.
[0012] The information disclosed in this Background of the
Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the
general background of the invention and should not be taken as an
acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information
forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the
art.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0013] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to
provide an active air flap apparatus for a vehicle capable of
preventing vehicle parts from being damaged due to an air flap, by
taking a light and inexpensive configuration, in particular, a
configuration capable of forcibly opening the air flap at the time
of failure.
[0014] In an aspect of the present invention, an active air flap
apparatus for a vehicle may include an air flap rotatably mounted
on a duct through a linkage and including a loader coupled with the
linkage, a thermoelectric device fixedly mounted on a housing that
is mounted on the duct, a heat transfer bar mounted in the housing,
wherein one end of the heat transfer bar is connected to the
thermoelectric device to transfer heat at the time of operating the
thermoelectric device, and a variable length member connected to
the loader and the other end portion of the heat transfer bar and
providing rotating force to the loader while changing a length of
the variable length member according to a change in temperature of
the heat transfer bar.
[0015] The apparatus may further include a PCB fixedly mounted on
the duct to control an operation of the thermoelectric device.
[0016] The housing may include an outer housing fixedly mounted on
the duct, and an inner housing fixedly mounted inside an end of the
outer housing, the inner housing being mounted so as to fix the
thermoelectric device and the one end of the variable length member
therein and slidably receiving the heat transfer bar penetrating
therethrough.
[0017] The variable length member is a spring made of a shape
memory alloy by which a length of thereof is increased when
temperature rises and a length thereof is recovered to an original
length when temperature falls.
[0018] The outer housing is a heat insulation housing minimizing
heat exchange with the outside. The outer housing spaced apart from
an end of the heat transfer bar in a direction opposite to a
direction in which the inner housing is positioned is fixedly
mounted with a stumbling bar crossing an inner space of the outer
housing in a direction orthogonal to a vertical direction of the
outer housing, and one side of the outer housing is provided with a
guide hole through which one end of the loader penetrates, the
guide hole being extendedly formed along the vertical direction of
the outer housing.
[0019] When the one end of the loader connected to the variable
length member moves in a direction in which the length of the
variable length member is increased to cross over the stumbling
bar, the loader is restrained by the stumbling bar so that the
loader does not move in a direction in which the length of the
variable length member is reduced unless the loader is applied with
external force.
[0020] The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have
other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are
set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which
together serve to explain certain principles of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an active air flap
apparatus according to the related art.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an actuator used in the active air
flap apparatus according to the related art.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an active air flap apparatus
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
wherein it shows a state in which a duct is closed by the air flap
is shown.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing components of the active air
flap apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line I-I of
FIG. 4.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an inside of a housing.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a coupling state of a loader and
a variable length member.
[0028] FIG. 8 is a diagram a state in which a duct is opened by the
air flap.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a position of a loader at the
time of failure.
[0030] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various features illustrative of the basic
principles of the invention. The specific design features of the
present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment.
[0031] In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or
equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several
figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Hereinafter reference will now be made in detail to various
embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described below. While
the invention will be described in conjunction with preferred
embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is
not intended to limit the invention to those preferred embodiments.
On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover not only the
preferred embodiments, but also various alternatives,
modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0033] Hereinafter, an active air flap apparatus for a vehicle
according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 9, an active air flap apparatus
according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is
configured to include a duct 10 fixedly mounted on a front end
module of a vehicle, an air flap 20 rotatably mounted on the duct
10 through a linkage 21 and including a loader 22 coupled with the
linkage 21, a thermoelectric device 40 fixedly mounted on a housing
30 that is mounted on the duct 10, a printed circuit board (PCB) 50
fixedly mounted on the duct 10 to control an operation of the
thermoelectric device 40, a heat transfer bar 60 mounted in the
housing 30 so that one end of the heat transfer bar 60 is connected
to the thermoelectric device 40 to transfer heat at the time of
operating the thermoelectric device 40, and a variable length
member 70 mounted so as to connect to the loader 22 and the heat
transfer bar 60 and providing rotating force to the loader 22 while
changing a length of the variable length member according to a
change in temperature of the heat transfer bar 60.
[0035] In this configuration, the PCB 50 is fixedly mounted on a
central portion of a back surface of the duct 10 and two air flaps
20 are mounted below and above the left and right portions,
respectively, based on the PCB 50 and thus, a total of four air
flaps 20 are mounted.
[0036] However, the positions and number of air flaps 20 may be
changed according to a model of the vehicle.
[0037] As the air flap 20 rotates through the linkage 21, the duct
10 is in a closed state as shown in FIG. 3 or is in an opened state
as shown in FIG. 8.
[0038] The housing 30 is configured to include an outer housing 31
fixedly mounted on the duct 10 and an inner housing 32 fixedly
mounted inside an end of the outer housing 31, wherein the inner
housing 32 is mounted so as to fix the thermoelectric device 40 and
one end of the variable length member 70 and includes the heat
transfer bar 60 penetrating therethrough.
[0039] Meanwhile, the variable length member 70 is a spring made of
a shape memory alloy by which a length of thereof is increased when
temperature rises and a length thereof is recovered to an original
length when temperature falls.
[0040] In addition, the outer housing 31 is a heat insulation
housing that may minimize heat exchange with the outside. As
described above, if the outer housing 31 is used as a heat
insulating housing, it is possible to prevent heat from being
dispersed to the outside of the housing 30 when the heat transfer
bar 60 transfers heat to the variable length member 70, thereby
improving response (operating time) of the variable length
member.
[0041] Further, the outer housing 31 is fixedly mounted with a
stumbling bar 80 crossing an inner space of the outer housing 31 in
a direction orthogonal to a vertical direction of the outer housing
31. The stumbling bar 80 is fixedly mounted at a position that is
spaced apart from an end of the heat transfer bar 60 in a direction
opposite to a direction in which the inner housing 32 is
positioned.
[0042] In addition, one side of the outer housing 31 is provided
with a guide hole 31a through which one end of the loader 22
penetrates, wherein the guide hole 31a is extendedly formed along
the vertical direction of the outer housing 31.
[0043] The stumbling bar 80 and the guide hole 31a are components
for forcibly rotating and fixing the air flap 20 so that the closed
duct 10 is maintained in an opened state when the air flap 20 is
not automatically operated.
[0044] The inner housing 32 prevents the heat transfer bar 60 from
separating to the outside of the housing 30 due to an external
impact.
[0045] The operation of the active air flap according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described
below.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows a state in which the air flap 20 closes the
duct 10.
[0047] When the PCB 50 receives signals, such as the rising of
engine temperature, the rising of cooling water temperature in the
state shown in FIG. 3, or the like, from external sensors, the PCB
50 transmits a control signal to operate the thermoelectric device
40. As a result, the thermoelectric device 40 generates heat.
[0048] The heat generated from the thermoelectric device 40 is
transferred to the variable length member 70, that is, the spring
made of the shape memory alloy through the heat transfer bar 60,
wherein the variable length member 70 is modified so as to increase
the length thereof with the gradual rising of temperature.
[0049] As described above, when the length of the variable length
member 70 increases, the loader 22 connected to the variable length
member 70 rotates and the duct 10 closed by the air flap 20 as
shown in FIG. 3 is switched to the opened state as shown in FIG. 8
by rotating the linkage 21 and the air flap 20 together by the
rotation of the loader 22.
[0050] Further, when the PCB 50 transmits the control signal by the
change in external conditions to stop the operation of the
thermoelectric device 40, the thermoelectric device 40 does not
generate heat, the temperature of the heat transfer bar 60
gradually falls, and the length of the variable length member 70 is
gradually reduced so as to be recovered to the original shape.
[0051] Accordingly, the loader 22 rotates in a direction opposite
to a rotating direction when the length of the variable length
member 70 is increased, such that the duct 10 opened by the
rotation of the air flap 20 as shown in FIG. 8 is again switched to
the closed state as shown in FIG. 3.
[0052] Meanwhile, when the active air flap according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present invention is out of order in
the closed state without being automatically operated as described
above, the engine temperature and the temperature of other heat
exchangers rise, thereby causing serious damages to a vehicle.
[0053] Therefore, a vehicle needs to be safely maintained before
repairing the active air flap. To this end, a worker holds the
loader 22 in the state as shown in FIG. 5 and pulls the loader 22
in a direction opposite to the inner housing 32 to hang the loader
to the stumbling bar 80.
[0054] The loader 22 smoothly moves along the guide hole 31a formed
in the outer housing 31. When the loader 22 crosses over the
stumbling bar 80 as shown in FIG. 9, the loader 22 is restrained by
the stumbling bar 80 unless the loader 22 is applied with external
force, such that the loader 22 does not again move in a direction
in which the length of the variable length member 70 is
reduced.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 9, when the loader 22 is restrained by
being hung to the stumbling bar 80, the air flap 20 is in the
forced rotation state, such that the closed duct 10 may
continuously maintain the opened state as shown in FIG. 8. As a
result, it is possible to prevent the vehicle from being damaged
due to the failure of the air flap 20.
[0056] As described above, the active air flap apparatus according
to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention can reduce
weight and cost by not using the heavy and expensive motor and gear
members.
[0057] In addition, the air flap 20 may be fixed by forcibly
rotating the air flap 20 at the time of failure, thereby preventing
the vehicle from being damaged due to the failure of the air flap
20.
[0058] The active air flap apparatus according to the preferred
embodiments of the present invention can fix the air flap by
forcibly rotating the air flap to so as to open the duct at the
time of failure while reducing weight and cost, thereby preventing
the vehicle from being damaged.
[0059] For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in
the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner" and
"outer" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments
with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in
the figures.
[0060] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments
of the present invention have been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. They are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments
were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of
the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable
others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, as well as various
alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the
scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *